


Katzenjammer

by echoing_winds



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 18:20:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10996371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/echoing_winds/pseuds/echoing_winds
Summary: The days are quiet and filled with a hint of sadness lately. Rollo wonders why people keep leaving, making everyone they leave behind sad, but just don't come back. That's not difficult, right? They could just come back again. But they never do.





	Katzenjammer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Angelle_wings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelle_wings/gifts).



> HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy it a lot!!! This was so much fun writing and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

_Katzenjammer_ (German): literally "cat wailing"; feelings of distress, anguish, uneasiness.

 

As long as he could remember, Rollo had always been by Ludger's side. It had been important for him to be with him; after all, he had to look after him! Even with Julius there, it had been an important job for Rollo that he would look after Ludger. He cared so much for him, for both him and Julius. So much had happened by now. How many years had passed ever since he had been brought home by them? He didn't know. It had been all his life... being with them had been everything for him. And he would continue to stay by Ludger's side as long as he could.

He could still remember his first day with the two brothers. Back then, he had only been a small kitten at that time. The world had been so big and fascinating... well, the world had been limited to their apartment, but to him, it had been a place of magic and wonders! Jumping on the couch... climbing up the shelves... scratching at the curtains... eating the plants... looking out of the window to the world below... stretching as far as he could see... so much bigger than his world, so much bigger than he could have ever imagined... would he see it one day, he had wondered, not knowing if his little legs would be strong enough to carry him all that long way. Soon, he had found out what were the right spots to sleep - right on Ludger's chest or Julius' face, and sometimes on their pillows next to their heads. It hadn't taken him long to discover the best way to get more food. When one of the brothers had fed him, he only had to wait until he was gone and then beg for more from the other. Usually, that had worked best with Julius, because he would have given him food no matter what. Ludger had kept an eye on his diet but whenever he started meowing at Julius for some time, he had gotten more food. And more food was always good. Especially those good treats Julius had always given him.

Julius... his eyes were fixed on the dark sea he could see from the window. It had been too long since he had last seen him. Where was he? Ludger had moved out several years ago... and that had been the last time Rollo had seen Julius. He had asked him to keep an eye on Ludger for him. He wouldn't have known if he had been able to do that again, he had told him. But why? Ludger lived away from Julius now, but they could still meet, right? Sometimes, humans were so confusing. He should just come over! Rollo could often sense sadness coming from Ludger. Lately, it was always hanging heavily in the air, lying over the house like a thick, impenetrable fog... though he couldn't tell why. Since quite a while now, this smell of sadness had never been able to leave the house again.

Rollo stood up and stretched his back until his muscles were rippling under his pelt. Since a while, he had lost weight too. He was finally getting into shape again! But for some reason, his appetite just wasn't so big anymore. He was getting older now and was therefore moving around less, using less energy so that meant less hunger. Compared to how he used to look though, it was quite a change already, though. Sometimes, he could see Ludger looking at him with a flash of worry in his eyes for some moments before he brightened up again and lifted him, holding him close. Why was he worried? Rollo was still eating enough. He shouldn't worry about him! Still, he couldn't help but wonder what that worry might be about.

He jumped down the windowsill and strolled through the house, not sure what to do. Maybe he could see if someone was awake. For some reason, humans were always sleeping through the night. That was still something he found difficult to understand. They were awake for hours and hours on end during the day but once the moon came out, they went to bed and slept through the entire night. Why weren't they more like cats and took several naps throughout the day so that they were able to experience the beauty of night as well? There were still so many things he had to teach them, even after all those years

On quiet paws, he walked over the floor, though there was still a small  _thump_ accompanying his steps. Even if he had lost weight, that still hadn’t disappeared. It made creeping up on others more difficult in the house as well. His gaze wandered from one side to the other, his ears pricked. No more signs of someone being awake. He was glad. Over the last time, he had often heard muffled tears coming from a bedroom, but nothing he had done could have stilled them. He didn’t exactly know why but he guessed Elle was crying so much lately because Lara still hadn’t come back home. Ever since she had gone away, Rollo had been able to see a full moon hanging in the night sky two more times. Ludger and Elle must be missing her so much. That might be where the sadness was coming from. He couldn’t be sure though. Lara would come back again, just like Julius. Everyone would come back eventually again, so they shouldn’t be sad now! Rollo wanted to help them, but he couldn’t comfort them. Not long enough at least to make their sadness go away completely.

It had been such a long time since Ludger had brought Lara over for the first time. She had always seemed like a nice person and her smell was always good too! She had smelled like a good person from the very start and she knew just where to scratch behind his ear. She always managed to give him the perfect pets! When Lara had come over more often in the past before Ludger had moved out, taking Rollo with him, they had often sat on the couch and watching those tiny people move in that bright box. Rollo had always laid right between them, always getting so many pets, so much attention. And sometimes even a treat here and there! That had been great. Just as great when they had taken walks together. Ludger had often let Rollo outside to walk around but together, it had been much better. He missed those days. Nowadays, everything seemed so much less carefree and easy. Still, he liked to remember those days... with Ludger and Julius... even with Lara...

But unfortunately, those peaceful times hadn’t lasted forever. It had all started on that one day... once Ludger had moved with Lara and him into this big house... the days of peace had been over. They never fed him more than a tiny bit of food! Actually, at least two bowls per day, but it was too little! And his tricks of getting treats and more food had stopped working as well! To this very day, Rollo still didn’t understand why he couldn’t manage to convince them anymore… he needed his food! He needed his treats! But at least, ever since his appetite had started to become less, he wasn’t that bothered by it anymore. He had never really gone hungry or anything, but he had indeed been used to more in the past.

The only thing cutting the heavy silence were his pawsteps... and a yawn escaping him. Not just his appetite had become less lately as well... he grew tired easier. Occasionally, he could feel a lump in his stomach but fortunately, it always managed to go away again. Was that causing him being less hungry? Perhaps, but it would go away again. It was nothing but that heavy feeling and a short sharp pain sometimes. Other than that, he was fine though. Just less hungry and quicker to tire. He would take a quick look at the sleeping Elle and then he would lie down on Ludger’s bed to catch some sleep as well. Everything was peaceful for once. A night without tears, without cries.

The door to Elle’s room was slightly opened and so he could push his way inside. He walked up to her bed and jumped on it, sniffing at her face. The little girl was sleeping soundly, her face calm and body without any tension. That was a good sign. Purring a little, he gave her a soft headbutt before jumping down again and making his way over to Ludger’s room. He was sleeping as well, but when he jumped on his pillow and flopped down beside his head, he stirred and woke. Ludger’s voice was muffled with sleep as he called out to him. A hand softly petted his back. Rollo’s purrs grew louder again and he closed his eyes. Everything was fine. Tomorrow, he could go out with Elle and play with her again maybe... and perhaps, Ludger would come with them as well... he was looking forward to it... there were still so many things he wanted to do with them... they were his family...

Strange... lately, Rollo noticed that everything was always so cold... even the sunlight wasn’t as warm as it used to be... but surely, that was just temporary, right? Winter must be coming... that must be the reason why it was getting colder again...

It didn’t take long for Rollo to drift off into a peaceful sleep... he thought he could still hear Ludger’s voice as he felt sleep embracing him... and when he opened his eyes again, Julius was crouching before him, petting his head and smiling at him... he couldn’t understand why, but there was pain in his eyes... but that didn’t matter. Rollo was overjoyed to see him again! But when he looked around, he couldn’t see Ludger anymore. And he wasn’t home anymore... was he dreaming? He wasn’t sure... What he was sure about, however, was that for the first time in what had felt like an eternity, he could feel the warmth of sunlight on his pelt once again.


End file.
